Oklahoma City Thunder | Game #18 Preview: Denver Nuggets

The Oklahoma City Thunder struggled to shoot the ball on Monday night against the New York Knicks, and Jalen Brunson scored a season-high 34 points, leading his team to a 129-119 victory over OKC. The Thunder gets another chance to play in front of the home crowd on Wednesday night as they host Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

This is the third meeting between OKC and Denver already this season, and the first two results were somewhat similar in that the Thunder played the Nuggets close but never could really close in and give themselves a chance to win. OKC played without Aleksej Pokusevski on Monday due to a sprained ankle, and they greatly missed his size. He may make his return tonight, which would go a long ways in helping with trying to slow down the reigning two-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

Game Details

Tip-Off: 7 PM CT

Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

Television: Bally Sports Oklahoma

Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal

Twitter: Follow @ZacharyLowNBA for live tweets and discussion during the game

Game NotesOklahoma City Thunder Official Game NotesDenver Nuggets Official Game Notes

Projected Starters

Thunder

  • PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
  • SG: Josh Giddey
  • SF: Jaylen Williams
  • PF: Luguentz Dort
  • C: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

Nuggets

  • PG: Jamal Murray
  • SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
  • SF: Michael Porter Jr.
  • PF: Aaron Gordon
  • C: Nikola Jokic

Injury Report

Thunder

  • Ousmane Dieng is OUT (G League — on assignment).
  • Chet Holmgren is OUT (right foot surgery).
  • Mike Muscala is OUT (fractured left pinky)
  • Aleksej Pokusevski is OUT (sprained left ankle).
  • Lindy Waters is OUT (G League — two-way).
  • Jaylin Williams is OUT (G League — on assignment).

Nuggets

  • Collin Gillespie is OUT (fractured right lower leg).
  • Jeff Green is OUT (right knee contusion).
  • Bones Hyland is QUESTIONABLE (non-covid illness).
  • Ish Smith is OUT (strained right calf).
  • Peyton Watson is OUT (non-covid illness).

Head-to-Head

  • Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 24-30 against the Nuggets (16-12 at home, 8-18 on the road).
  • Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series with the Nuggets 6 times, lost it 7 times, and tied it once.
  • The Thunder went 2-2 against the Nuggets last season (1-1 at home, 1-1 on the road).
  • The Thunder is 0-2 against the Nuggets so far this season (0-1 at home, 0-1 on the road).

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